The Ways of Love
by V Keller
Summary: Two songfics so far that feature Inuyasha and Kagome. Just did them when I was looking for my Muse.
1. Things I'll Never Say

Disclaimer: I **don't** own Inuyasha and Co. (though it'd be _really_ kewl if I did). Besides, if you haven't notice, this place is called **_FanFiction.com_**, meaning that all of us here don't own the people. So in all actually, a disclaimer is already implied. Well, that my bit of nastiness is over. Enjoy! ^_^ 

P.S. The song is by Avril Lavinge, and again, isn't mine. Remember to **read and review**! Thanx! :D Oh, and at DarkStar01's suggestion I made it a little longer, and tried to correct some errors I found. 

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Kagome sat underneath a tree as she did her homework. You'd think that her family would understand that she was trying to save Feudal Japan and not make her do it. No. Importunely that wasn't the case.

She stopped writing as her hand got a cramp in it. 'Stupid homework,' she thought to herself. Kagome got up from her stop and stretched. She looked around and saw Inuyasha coming towards her. She straightened her skirt and shirt, praying her hair wasn't all over the place since it had been windy earlier.

_I'm tugging at my hair  
I'm pulling at my clothes_

Inuyasha saw Kagome standing by the tree where he and the others had left her to do her homework. Miroko came running past him, laughing. No doubt he was about to tell her about Shippou's 'adventure' in the water.

"It was hilarious," Miroko was telling her. "You should have seen the look on his face when my staff-" Shippou chose this moment to join them. Dripping wet. 

"I knew Sango was telling the truth! It was you," the little kitsune youkai said, pointing an accusing finger at him. 

Miroko gave Kagome a smile. "Gotta run!" Gladly Shippou chased him. It was game, and no one was really going to get hurt.  
Kagome hadn't seemed to notice Inuyasha up until this point. "Hey Inuyasha," she greeted him with a smile.

Involuntarily he felt his heart skip a beat. "Oi!" He looked at his feet, trying to hide the slight blush that had come to his cheeks. 'Baka! She just said hi!' he thought to himself.

_I'm trying to keep my cool  
I know it shows  
I'm staring at my feet  
My cheeks are turning red  
I'm searching for the words inside my head_

Kagome continued to smile. She watched as Inuyasha became very interested with something on the ground. "Well, if all you're going to say is 'Oi' then I'm going to back and do my homework."

She really didn't want to do it, but it'd help her deal with the awkwardness she felt. Lately she had begun to think of Inuyasha more so than usual. The only way to escape this was doing her homework. It wouldn't block all total thoughts of him. But it sure did help. 'If I was like Kikyo I'd know how to deal with this,' she thought thinking of the old Kikyo Kaede had told her about. Level headed, knew what to always do. She struggled trying to be somewhat like that for Inuyasha.

_(Cause) I'm feeling nervous  
Trying to be so perfect  
Cause I know you're worth it  
You're worth it  
Yeah_

When he didn't reply she sat down and pulled her schoolbook in front of her. "Fine, I'll talk to," he said in his usual harshness and sat down next to her. Inuyasha knew he'd have to stop acting so mean. He didn't mean to. It was he just wasn't sure what he should do. He knew he couldn't just say to her, "Oi! I like you and think we should be more than friends." That was the "polite" way rather than the way he really wanted to do. Which was wrap her in his arms and never let go. Naraku could come and he wouldn't pull away from Kagome.

_If I could say what I want to say  
I'd say I wanna blow you... away  
Be with you every night  
Am I squeezing you too tight?_

"Where to next?" He asked, this time holding back his harshness.  
Kagome looked him. His golden eyes could hold her forever. Yet she knew they wouldn't. She knew he still loved Kikyo and there wasn't any room for her. "Actually I was thinking if we could head back to the well. I need to finish this project with this boy-"

"Boy?" Inuyasha said, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. "What _boy_?" he demanded.

"He's my partner for a school project I need to be working on," she explained. 'Why is he so mad?' she thought. 'He's not jealous. He couldn't be. Could he?"

"Feh. I'm sure he really is. . . what's that word I heard you use once? . . . Oh yeah, boyfriend."

"Boyfriend!" she shouted. Hojo? Her boyfriend? That was a laugh. "Look, if you're going to be a baka I suggest you wear a tux and ride around on a unicycle. That way at least you'd look as you act." It was quick and stupid come back, but it was all she could think of at the moment. The image of Inuyasha in a tux and riding a unicycle like a little monkey made her smile. The image quickly progressed into him standing at the altar in a wedding. She blushed and shook her head to get rid of the thought. Now _that_ was a stupid thought.

_If I could say what I want to see  
I want to see you go down  
On one knee  
Marry me today_

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say that he was just making sure because he liked her. Then decided against it. 'Better him than me. He's at least from her time. Where I'm just a baka hanyou from this time,' he thought. _  
Guess, I'm wishing my life away  
With these things I'll never say_

Silence.

"What are you thinking about Kagome?" he asked after a while. He looked at her. She did look rather lost in thought.

She shook her head. "Nothing." She sighed. "What if you wanted to say something, but were sure how to say it?" she asked.

"Nani? What do mean?"

"I-I mean-What I mean is . . . Oh never mind. Its not important."

"No. Tell me," he insisted. "I want to know. Is it about-Is it about . . ." He let the sentence drop. 

They sat in silence not saying anything. Kagome sighed and leaned her head against the tree, putting her hand on the ground to brace herself. Inuyasha looked at her. The wind blew gently and rustled her dark hair. 

_What's wrong with my tongue?  
These words keep slipping away  
I stutter, I stumble   
Like I've got nothing to say_

_Guess I'm wishing my life away with these things I'll never say_

Slowly Inuyasha moved his own hand so that it covered hers. Kagome looked up at him. He looked at her and gave her a smile. He wrapped her hand with his. They sat like that for a while. 

In the distance he could hear Miroko, Shippou and Sango.

Kagome rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. He let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her.

_Guess I'm wishing my life away with these things I'll never say  
If I could say what I want to say  
I'd say I wanna blow you...away  
Be with you every night  
Am I squeezing you too tight?_

Inuyasha breathed in her sent. It was comforting to know that she was next to him.  
Kagome thought to herself that she could get used to this. Having Inuyasha at her side. To hold when she felt like it. It just seemed perfect._  
If I could say what I want to see  
I want to see you go down  
On one knee  
Marry me today_

He wondered what she was thinking, but decided against asking her. He didn't want this moment to end. He looked at her. She turned her head and looked at him. Without thinking he leaned down and kissed her. It was a soft kiss. 'Practice kiss,' he thought to himself and smiled.  
  
Kagome looked into his golden eyes. Searching, making sure that this was all true. Another kiss answered that. This one not as soft as the first two kisses, but still a "practice" kiss. She wrapped her arms around his waist.  
  
She could hear his heart beat. A little faster than what could be considered normal. It was so comforting to hear it.  
  
Cautiously, Inuyasha began to stroke her hair. It was so soft. Like silk. He breathed in her sent again. After a while he looked down at Kagome and saw that she was asleep. He smiled and leaned his head back against the tree. Soon he was asleep too.  
   
'Everything was perfect now,' was his last thought before he drifted into sleep. 'Kagome is with me now. _Nothing_ is going to change that. Not even if the world were to end tomorrow.'  
_  
Yes, I'm wishing my life away  
With these things I'll never say  
These things I'll never say . . ._


	2. My Worst Fear

I heard her rustle, but kept quiet. I could smell her. It was intoxicating to me. No, I wasn't looking for the Jewel Shards anymore. I had given that up a while ago. It was only an excuse for me to stay with her.

She came over to me. Tonight I had decided to sleep on the ground. Besides, the fact that there weren't any decent trees around helped. I'm beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea. Sleeping on the ground that is.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered as she bent beside me. I kept my eyes closed. I knew she had questions to ask me; I just couldn't answer them right now.

"Inuyasha." She ran a hand through the hair that covered my face. It was a loving touch. I heard her sigh softly as she laid down besides me. Kagome snuggled up next to me. I didn't feel her move for a while, but knew that she was still asleep.

"You know, I've been tempted to climb into the trees and cuddle up next to you for a while," she told me, thinking I was sleeping. She gave a small laugh. "Funny how tonight I got the courage to do so. Made it easier that you were on the ground." A pause. "I've also wanted to talk to about things for while. Inuyasha, it kills me not to know how you feel about me." 

Those words struck a cord within me. I hadn't I been obvious? No, I knew I hadn't. I could make her cry, laugh, or fume within a matter of seconds. No, the only thing I probably did was annoy her. Baka hanyou.

Kagome laughed again. "Gee, you're such a good listener Inuyasha." _Ha, ha._ Her tone became serious. "I'm just going to flat out say it. I love you Inuyasha. I think I have for a while. It just took some certain things, and someones, for me to realize it. I love how you face danger, even when I think you know you're scared. I like the fact that you get jealous. How you fight for me. I even love the human side of you, Inuyasha. I don't care really what you are, full demon or full human. Your gold eyes, silver hair, your ears, even your nails. All I care about is that you're Inuyasha, arrogant and slightly bigheaded. I really don't mind your 'violent' part, so long as it's being used for good. I may not be as great as Kikyou, but Inuyasha . . ." There was a shift in her voice. "I love you, always remember that."

After a moment or two I could feel her breathing deepen to that of the sleeping kind.

**_Last night you gave me a kiss  
You didn't know it, but I was awake when you did  
You were quiet, you were gonna let me sleep  
So I just laid there pretending to be  
You said some things you didn't know I could hear  
And the words "I love you" never sounded so sincere_**

My heart was beating fast. 'Kagome loves me,' was all I could think. Unwillingly, I felt tears weld up in my eyes. She wasn't supposed to say that. If anything, she was suppose to tell me that she hates me, that she can't stand to be around me. That _she_ only kept me around to protect her. And of course to get entertainment out of saying "Sit boy!" This wasn't good.

It was my turn to sigh. This coming morning I had plan on leaving Kagome and the others. I had to make amends with Kikyou. None of this Shard chasing would have happened if I hadn't sought out the Jewel to begin with. Naraku wouldn't have trick Kikyou and I, though I doubt she would have fallen for him. Kikyou wouldn't have died and then resurrected and had to steal souls to survive. I wouldn't have been to a tree for fifty years. Miroku wouldn't have a hole in his hand. Sango would be with her people killing demons, and Shippou would still have his father alive. And Kagome. Kagome wouldn't have to deal with me; Inuyasha – the insensitive fool. No. After I tired to patch things up with Kikyou I'd come back to Kagome and the rest. Maybe before that find peace within myself so that I'm better to Kagome. _I do love you Kagome._

**_It's gonna make it hard to tell you that I'm leaving  
Now that I know just how much you care  
You finally gave me one good reason not to go  
But staying here is my worst fear_**

I don't know when I fell asleep. I was surprise I did at all. I was scared that I might wake Kagome up some how. Speaking of Kagome . . . I woke up to find that she wasn't next to me. 'Probably didn't want me to know she'd been beside me,' I thought thinking of her nuzzled up next to me. I got up to find that Sango and Miroku were up also. Shippou was sleeping still. I didn't see Kagome.

"Where's Kagome?" I asked.

Miroku looked at me and shrugged. "Don't know. She wasn't here when I got up. And I was up first. Sango asked me the same question. I told her the same answer."

"She probably when to bathe in the stream. Her pack and things are gone."

"Damn girl is always bathing," I said in my usual way. Now I just needed an excuse to go talk to her. I wasn't just going to leave and not tell her why. I owed Kagome that much. "Great! She took her pack. I wanted some of those noodles!"

"Then find her and get some," Sango said. Thank you taiji! 

"Fine I will!" I said in reply and ran off after her sent. Sango was right. It did lead to the stream.

But when I got there I found no Kagome. I sniffed around. "Kagome!" No answer. The wind could have picked up and blown her sent away. Though there hadn't been any wind. "Kagome!" I called to her again. No answer again. "KAGOME!!!!" I shouted. I was sure all of Japan could hear that. Still no answer. _'Where could have that girl gone to?'_ I thought.

_She's gone._

I don't know where that thought came from, but I knew it was true. I don't know where she could have gone. It wasn't' safe around here. I only knew of two places she went: Kaede's village and the well. _THE WELL! _

I ran back to Sango and the other as fast as I could.

"How far is the well from here?" I demanded. Shippou was up and looked startled.

"Uh, not that far," Shippou said. "If you start in the morning you'd be there by mid evening."

"Damn it!" I cursed.

"You don't think Kagome left-" Shippou began.

"Yeah. I think she left to go back home," I snapped.

"Kagome usually tells us though when she's going back home," Sango stated.

**_This morning I rolled out of bed  
Recalling all the sweet things you said  
This was the day I was gonna hurt you bad  
Called out your name, but you didn't answer back  
I searched the house to find out what was wrong  
Like a ton of bricks, it hit me you were gone_**

I didn't wait for them. I had to get to that well before Kagome did. Why did she leave? She wasn't suppose to, I was. I was going to leave, to ease her pain that I knew I was causing her. It also hurt me to know I was the source of all her problems. I was doing this for her sake. That's at least what I kept telling myself.

I tried to pick up on her sent, to make sure that she was heading for the well. Again, it only ended at the stream. A thought occurred to me then. I knew why it ended at the stream, because she had walked in it. She knew it would wash away her sent from me. Smart girl. _'Think, think Inuyasha,'_ I coached myself. 

I went to the stream's edged and sniffed more closely to the ground. There. There was Kagome's unmistakable sent. Her sweet sent. I couldn't really describe it if I had words to. All I knew it belong to the woman I loved.

Though the smell was faint I followed it to as far as it would take me.

**_It's gonna make it hard to tell you that I'm leaving  
Now that I know just how much you care  
You finally gave me one good reason not to go  
But staying here is my worst fear_**

I don't know how far I went. I wasn't even sure is Shippou and the others were following me or if they knew where I was going. I didn't stop to think about it. I had no time.

_Why are you going after her?_ The thought suddenly came into my mind. I'm not sure from where. I was going after her because I loved her.

_What about Kikyou? What about that plan of yours?_ Kikyou. I was going to find Kikyou and work things out. Then I was going to spend some time alone. _'Why?'_ I asked myself. Kikyou wanted to drag me to Hell with her. If it weren't for Kagome I wouldn't be here right now. No, I knew I now that I could never make amends with Kikyou. Yes, I had loved her once. I suppose I still do. I heard once that you will always love you first love. Kikyou was mine. It different than the way I love Kagome. Kagome hasn't tried to change me. Ok, she has, but not like Kikyou. Kikyou wanted to change the essence of who I really am. Kagome accepts that and loved me for it. She said so when she thought I was asleep.

"Kagome," I breathed her name and ran faster.

**_All along I knew that there was something missing  
And only one thing left to do  
I had to leave behind this life that we'd been living  
But the only thing that left was you_**

I saw her and caught her sent at the same time. She was near the well. My heart skipped a beat.

"KAGOME!" I shouted as I ran towards her. She paused for a moment then continued to walk. She didn't even turn around. "Kagome!" I said her name again as I got closer. This time she didn't even stop.

That's when I caught a different sent. She was crying. But why.

I didn't say anything as I came up to walk next to her. Her hair had fallen in her face so I couldn't see her tears.

"Go away Inuyasha," she said firmly.

"How come you didn't tell us that you were leaving for you home?" I asked.

"What does it matter to you?"

"Who else is going to help find the Shards?" I asked.

"Pffh! Figured!" She stopped and turned on her heel to face me. I took a step back. I could feel the anger emanating off of her. "It's because of you, Inuyasha, that I'm didn't tell anyone I was going home. It's because of you that I'm a total mental wreck. 'Does just use me to find the Shards?' Lets see. YEAH! You just told me so! "

"I didn't mean it like that!"

Kagome crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right and I'm the Empress of Japan," she retorted.

I bowed. "Your Highness."

"Ugh!!" She said through her teeth in frustration and began to walk again. I started to go after her. "Just go back to the others. I'm in no trouble. Just go . . . please."

I stopped. "Is that what you really what Kagome?"

She stopped and turned around. "No, but it's the only thing I can think of. I can't just stand by and watch you mull over Kikyou. Don't you realize that she isn't suppose to be alive? That the witch brought her back unnaturally? She's not really alive Inuyasha! Get that through your head! In fact the only reason she is 'alive' is because she has half of _my_ soul!! I just can't stand it anymore."

"That's why you said those things then," I said softly.

"Nani?"

I took a step closer to her. All color in her face drained out. "That's why you told me all those things. That you cared about me. That-That you loved me. You said, "always remember that". You had no intention of coming back here? Even though you feel it's your duty to collect them."

"How'd you know if I really said those things?" She attempted to sound secure, but I could tell from her eyes she was worried.

I took another step closer. "Because. I was awake. I heard every word. I'm glad you told me."

Kagome looked tired and sat down. "Inuyasha, you weren't suppose to-"

I kneeled down next to her and put a finger on her lips to silence her. "I know I wasn't. It's good that you told me. I might have at this moment be making the biggest mistake of my life." I sat next to her and looked out over the landscape. Kagome stared at me if I had grown a nose to match my ears. She looked almost scared. I'm not sure if it was that fear of rejection or the uncertainty of what I my do besides that.

"I've never told you what I'm really afraid, have I?" I asked her and turned my head to lock my eyes with hers.

She shook her head mutely.

"I'm scared that after all this is said and done that everyone will leave me. Sango and Miroku will go their way together. Shippou will go off to be a man. And you Kagome, you will leave me for you time and forget me. Never to think of me, the hanyou that cares for you more than you'd ever know." She opened her mouth to say something. I wasn't ready for her to speak about this yet. "If you leave me Kagome, and never come back from that well. I can't stay here. I couldn't stand it. Everywhere reminds me of you. In the end I probably drive myself insane and end up pinning myself to that tree again. After all that's where we first me, be it though the circumstances weren't all that great."

"You care about me?" Kagome asked, barely a whisper. Tears were coming into her eyes.

I nodded my head. "Yes. Like you, I'm not sure for how long. I realized I did last night when you told me, but I don't think it sank in until the thought of you being gone forever threaten."

"Inuyasha-" I didn't give her a chance to say anymore.

"Kagome," I spoke her name softly just before I leaned over to kiss her.

**_It's gonna make it hard to tell you that I'm leavin'  
Now that I know just how much you care  
You finally gave me one good reason not to go  
But being alone is my worst fear  
And staying here is my worst fear_**

A/N: I would just like to thank all those that have review these two songfics (that I have so far -_^). I'm not sure if I'm going to turn these into a series or what not. Actually, these two songfics are really connected. I have another one planned, so I'm working on it.

Song is by Rascal Flatts.

Thanks to DarkStar01, Lasako, Angel-chan, Tinuviel, Lachesis! Thank you for reviewing! ^_^

Oh, and if you find any grammar/spelling errors please E-MAIL them to me at queenweirdness@verizon.net. Thankies!


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